Skip to content

Growth Partnerships Lead

Leads building and scaling external partnerships from 0-1, owning business development, deal closure, contract negotiations, and stakeholder management for data/AI initiatives. Requires 5+ years in BD/partnerships with proven deal-making experience.

160k – 180kSan Francisco, CAPartnershipsOnsite5+ YOE

About the role

What You’ll Do

Build Partnerships from Scratch (0 → 1)

  • Identify, outreach, design, and launch new partnership models with external organizations, networks, and institutions
  • Test and iterate on partnership structures before scaling what works
  • Create early frameworks and playbooks where none exist today

Business Development & Deal Ownership

  • Lead outbound and inbound partnership conversations end-to-end
  • Qualify partners, define mutual value, and drive deals to close
  • Structure commercial terms that align incentives and support long-term collaboration

Contracting & Negotiation

  • Own negotiations across pricing, scope, timelines, and obligations
  • Work closely with Legal and Finance to move quickly without sacrificing rigor
  • Balance speed, flexibility, and scalability in early-stage agreements

Stakeholder Management

  • Act as the primary point of contact for external partners and senior stakeholders
  • Manage complex, multi-party relationships with clarity and credibility
  • Align internal teams (Product, Research, Ops, Legal) around partnership priorities

Operate Scrappily, Then Systematize

  • Start hands-on: build lists, run outreach, draft docs, close deals yourself
  • Identify patterns and convert them into repeatable processes over time
  • Help shape the tools, metrics, and systems needed as the function scales

What We’re Looking For

Experience

  • 5+ years in Business Development, Strategic Partnerships, or Commercial Roles
  • Proven experience negotiating and closing contracts
  • Track record of managing high-stakes external stakeholders
  • Direct experience working with data products

Mindset & Skills

  • Builder mentality: excited by ambiguity and 0→1 problems
  • Scrappy, resourceful, and comfortable doing unglamorous work early
  • Strong commercial instincts and negotiation skills
  • Clear, concise communicator with executive presence
  • Able to operate independently while partnering closely with internal teams

Nice to Have

  • Experience in marketplaces, platforms, or high-growth startups
  • Exposure to data-driven products, AI, or technical stakeholders
  • Background working cross-functionally with legal and finance teams
  • Familiarity with compliance and data rights

Benefits

  • Generous equity grant vested over 4 years
  • A $20K relocation bonus (if moving to the Bay Area)
  • A $10K housing bonus (if you live within 0.5 miles of our office)
  • A $1K monthly stipend for meals
  • Free Equinox membership
  • Health insurance

Skills

Business DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsContract NegotiationStakeholder ManagementData ProductsCommercial NegotiationMarketplacesHigh-Growth StartupsAi ExposureCompliance

Similar roles

Partnerships jobs

Healthcare Data Partnerships Lead

Build and own healthcare data partnerships from scratch, sourcing and closing deals with health systems, payers, EHR vendors for large datasets. Manage full cycle including negotiation, compliance (HIPAA, FHIR/HL7), and long-term relationships. Requires 3-7 years BD/sales experience in healthcare data ecosystem.

160k – 200kSan Francisco, CAPartnershipsOn-site3+ YOEHl7Ehr

System Integrator Alliance Manager

Build and manage SI partnerships to drive pipeline and enablement for LangChain's AI agent platform. Requires 5+ years in alliance/partner roles with technical fluency in AI tooling.

165k – 230kSan Francisco, CAPartnershipsOn-site5+ YOEAILLMs

Tribal Health Lead (Sales & Partnerships)

Leads business development and strategic partnerships in the Tribal Health market, owning revenue targets, building trusted relationships with stakeholders, and translating healthcare tech into value for health equity. Requires deep Tribal Health ecosystem knowledge and technical fluency in EHRs, data, and patient engagement.

152k – 152kUnited StatesPartnershipsRemoteCRMEhr

Product Partnerships Manager

Own 2-3 strategic product partnerships across AI infrastructure, MCP, IDE, and SDK categories. Drive integrations from concept through launch, build joint GTM motions, and measure impact on installs, MAU, and revenue. Requires 5-8 years experience and strong technical partnership skills.

150k – 225kSan Francisco, CAPartnershipsOn-site5+ YOELLMsOpenapi

Partnerships - Research and Education

Own and grow Modal's presence in academia and research by managing the Modal for Academics program, building relationships with professors and researchers, and identifying sponsorship opportunities. This role requires a strong understanding of academic research and excellent communication skills.

150k – 190kNew York, NY +1PartnershipsOn-siteGrant WritingMachine Learning